Advocacy and lobbying stories from this week's National Journal: (subscription)

• "Conservative Watchdogs Awake": New right-leaning nonprofits are financing online publications targeting government malfeasance.
• Inside Washington: AT&T, which is perennially a big spender on lobbying, aimed its sweet talk at the media this week by delivering to select reporters a box of cupcakes with its company logo on top of each one. Anyone familiar with the confections from Georgetown Cupcake knows they aren't cheap (a box of six costs $15)
• "Who Are The Parties' Best Strategists?": As part of a series of stories this week, we ask congressional insiders rank the best strategists. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and Mississippi GOP Governor Haley Barbour won as the parties' best political strategists. Political insiders gave the best strategist title to White House senior adviser David Axelrod and Republican Karl Rove.
• People: Brian Peters has moved to the Franklin Square Group after a year and a half as director of government affairs at Research in Motion, the Canadian company that makes a ubiquitous Washington accessory--the BlackBerry. Before that, he was director of government relations at the Information Technology Industry Council.